Tis the season for hangovers, so we convinced some of New Zealand’s most experienced consumers of food and/or drink (OK, Spinoff staff and a bunch of chefs/hospo people) to share their tried-and-true culinary remedies. A hangover is a very individual thing. For some, it manifests as a splitting headache and extreme tiredness. Others are gripped … Read more
Committed alcohol enthusiast Samuel Flynn Scott investigates whether it’s possible to have fun – and find drinks that hit the spot – when booze is not an option. Choosing not to drink on a night out has traditionally led to a lot of fizzy water or sugary kids’ drinks. I might enjoy the big red … Read more
One of the many unspoken rules of British life is that when one is drinking at the pub with others, one buys rounds. For the naive New Zealander, it’s stressful AF, says Elle Hunt. At the pub one Friday night in London a few weeks ago, I was at the bar with a large group … Read more
This smoky Mexican spirit is so hot right now, but Samuel Flynn Scott wasn’t so sure it was for him. Until one Sunday afternoon… The “Not Serious Wine Chats” events have been on my radar for a few months now. I really wanted to attend the natural wine event (for one thing, I thought it … Read more
New Zealand’s binge drinking culture is notoriously bad, but could change be on the horizon for this little country of boozers? Booze, booze, everywhere, but what does it mean to drink? Alcohol consumption around the world is awash with stereotypes. In France, we might imagine, it’s allowing your stylish young child a glass of wine … Read more
After almost 20 years with a drinking problem, Baal Caulfield* explains how he handled life after alcohol. Read parts one and two of Baal Caulfield’s story of giving up alcohol. Trying to keep occupied without booze can be an extremely difficult task. You see, unlike heroin or meth, my drug of choice was legal, socially … Read more
An increasing range of vino is now available in cans, so The Spinoff team took it upon themselves to review and rank each one. Have you ever tried to carry a bottle of wine in your handbag? It’s niggly as. Once, while living in London, I was heading to a party with a bottle of … Read more
Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Wellington-born Jonny McKenzie and Canadian-born Amy Alexander, founders of luxury pre-bottled cocktail company J.M.R. Cocktail & Co. ONE: How did J.M.R. Cocktails start and what was the inspiration behind it? Amy Alexander (AA): … Read more
Whether it’s one glass while making dinner or a few at kids’ birthday parties, it’s often hard to separate motherhood from drinking. Mother of three Nadine Anne Hura writes about why she finally decided to quit for good. First published 4 April, 2018 I never hit rock bottom. There wasn’t any great reckoning or moment … Read more
Featuring hints of marshmallow, Prince Charles, booze-soaked shoes and being bullied by a large Scottish man named Paul. This story originally ran in Barker’s 1972 magazine. It was 11am and I was drunk. Whisky was dribbling over the top of my glass and a large Scottish man was standing over me yelling, “Is that enough?” He … Read more
Fill the void of those long, lonely winter nights with a dark beer – there’s one out there for you, we promise. There’s no denying that these are dark times, friends – both symbolically and literally. Yes, the world has gone to hell in a handcart, but more pressingly, it’s winter. It’s cold. Even the … Read more
From the alleyways of Běijīng to the Tibetan highlands, independent brewing is on the rise in the world’s most populous nation. When we think of China, chances are we don’t think of craft beer. You might put that down to the legacy of popular beers like Tsingtao, Harbin or Snow. Tsingtao, of the seaside city … Read more
In the best drinking cities in the world, sharing a punch bowl with your mates at a bar makes for a splendid evening. To have a similar experience here, you’ll have to stay home. “Red fruit, Raro.” “Very drunk 21-year-old Christians.” “Red wine, Sprite Zero, half-sugar Just Juice, vodka.” “Berocca, white wine, vodka, pineapple juice … Read more
Pallas Hupé Cotter’s new year’s resolution for 2018 was a big one: going alcohol-free for an entire year. As she approaches the halfway point she shares what she’s learned so far. At midnight on December 31st 2017, while watching fireworks from a hilltop on the outskirts of Wellington, I took one last sip of bubbles … Read more
Whether it’s one glass while making dinner or a few at kids’ birthday parties, it’s often hard to separate motherhood from drinking. Mother of three Nadine Anne Hura writes about why she finally decided to quit for good. I never hit rock bottom. There wasn’t any great reckoning or moment of truth. Just a series … Read more
Welcome to the Cheat Sheet, a clickable, shareable, bite-sized FAQ on the news of the moment. Today, Don Rowe explains why shutting down Hamilton’s most notorious bar isn’t automatically a good idea. What’s going on? The most notorious bar in Hamilton – and thus the country – has had its liquor license canned by police. … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today: Sam Brooks on his favourite bowling-alley-in-a-multiplex-bar, Metrolanes. “Where are the dive bars in Auckland?” A visitor to this fair city asked me that recently. I assumed by dive bar they meant ‘an empty bar with cheap alcohol’ rather than … Read more
Around this time every year, the howls of agony echo around the country – from south to north, people who enjoy a drink in moderation have just realised that religious traditions have imposed on their freedoms. But forewarned is forearmed. Bars, super markets and bottle shops will be forced to stop selling bevvys at midnight on … Read more